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Michigan SERA Endorses Protect Our Jobs Ballot Proposal
Constitutional Amendment Would Also Protect State Employee Pensions and Benefits
At its May 4 meeting in Lansing, the Michigan SERA Coordinating Council composed of delegates from SERA chapters around the state endorsed the campaign to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot guaranteeing collective bargaining rights. The Council heard from Erin Butler, the Mid-Michigan field representative of the Protect Our Jobs campaign, and Larry Schneider, attorney for the Michigan State Police Troopers Association, before voting overwhelmingly to endorse it. See the Michigan SERA Protect Our Jobs Fact Sheet.
The ballot proposal is a response to over 80 bills introduced in the Michigan Legislature reducing unionization or employee rights in Michigan since January 2011. Twenty-five of those bills have passed and been signed into law.
Of interest to state employees and state retirees is that the proposal contains a provision to assure constitutionally-protected collective bargaining rights for state employee unions similar to that which the state police troopers and sergeants achieved through a constitutional amendment in 1978.
The proposed amendment includes the right to bargain retirement and pensions for future state employee retirees. It will not provide for bargaining over current state retiree pensions and benefits. However, should the health care benefits of current state retirees be threatened with change, the state employee unions would likely speak up to protect them because it would be protecting the future benefits of their own active members. The POJ ballot proposal thus enlists more advocates for protecting our pensions and benefits.
Nearly 323,000 valid signatures will be needed by July 9, 2012, to get the amendment on the November ballot. Some Council delegates took Protect Our Jobs petitions to circulate for signatures of registered voters. Contact www.protectourjobs.org, call 313-744-JOBS (313-744-5627) or write to Protect Our Jobs, 5859 W. Saginaw Hwy. #142, Lansing, MI 48917 for more information. SERA Chapter Presidents will have information about the regional contact people for the campaign also.
Michigan SERA Pens Agreement with VBS and APSA for SERA Membership Recruitment Program
On Tuesday, February 14, 2012, Michigan SERA Coordinating Council Chair Bob Kopasz signed an agreement with Voluntary Benefits Solutions (VBS) and the America’s Professional Services Association (APSA) to coordinate membership recruitment for SERA on a statewide basis. APSA will contact state employee retirees to offer them a one year free membership in SERA, which will now bring with it not only current SERA chapter programs such as meetings and newsletters, but numerous additional SERA Plus benefits provided through APSA. These include first-year free tax preparation and group discounts on services in the areas of estate planning, tax planning, home and auto insurance, financial services, mortgage services, estate transfer strategies, final settlement planning, and much more.
Recent state retiree and SERA member Cheryl Streberger will be the SERA Plus Program Manager. She will represent APSA with the Michigan SERA Coordinating Council and the 21 SERA Chapters. Some of her duties will include coordinating all SERA Plus marketing activities with all chapters, acting as a liaison between APSA leadership and SERA leadership, and handling any questions from local chapters and members of SERA. She will also make presentations about joining SERA at the Civil Service Pre-Retirement Orientation sessions. Learn more about Cheryl on the SERA Plus contact page.
APSA is a non-profit, non-partisan organization providing access to great discounts on services in many areas of retirement living.
The toll free number for state retirees and near retirees to access SERA Plus benefits through APSA is 855-SERA-PLUS (737-2758).
Pictured, left to right, at the agreement signing are Richard David James, Consultant to APSA and CEO of Financial Services of America headquartered in Warren, Michigan; David Reusser, President of SERA-Detroit Area Chapter #3; Tim Easterwood, Area President, Voluntary Benefits Solutions of Troy, Michigan, a Division of Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc.; Bob Kopasz, Chair, Michigan SERA Coordinating Council; Mary Pollock, Michigan SERA Legislative Representative; David Cook, President, Ionia-Montcalm SERA Chapter #6.
About Michigan SERA
SERA is an non-profit organization devoted exclusively to issues and concerns of all current and future retirees of the State of Michigan.
SERA works to:
- keep Michigan state employee pension and insurance benefits secure.
- assure pension and insurance benefits are improved and keep up with inflation.
- monitor and take action on important developments affecting state pension and retiree health care benefits.
- inform its members about proposed federal and state legislation that will affect State of Michigan retirement systems and retiree health care.
- stay in touch with old friends and make new friends with a common background.
- monitor the State Employees Retirement Systems Board, the Investment Advisory Committee (which makes recommendations to the State Treasurer on investments in the State Employees Retirement System pension fund), and the 401K and 457 programs provided through ING.
- work with the Office of Retirement Services and Civil Service Benefits Division to help retirees and near retirees with their pension and benefits issues.
- provide SERA PLUS, great discounts and services in many areas of retirement living such as first-year free tax preparation, estate planning, tax planning, home and auto insurance, financial services, mortgage services, estate transfer strategies, final settlement planning, and much more through SERA’s association with America’s Professional Services Association.
SERA works through its members, leaders, and committees to promote the best interests of state employee retirees and future retirees. At least eight times since 1974, SERA was a moving force in pension increases or benefit improvements. In 2011, we opposed the pension tax and helped eliminate it for 70% of retirees; we opposed the remaining tax on public pensions for those born after 1945 in the Michigan Supreme Court. We opposed the recent state employee retirement system changes. That work continues.
SERA has 21 local chapters statewide that are linked through the Coordinating Council of the State Employee Retirees Associations of Michigan (the SERA Coordinating Council). SERA chapters have periodic meetings with guest speakers, opportunities for networking, newsletters, and other activities.
SERA welcomes the new ideas and energy of new members! To join, call 855-SERA-PLUS (737-2758).